Karl Annborn
2024-25 Team: HV71 J20 (J20 Nationell)
Date of Birth: March 6, 2007
Place of Birth: Örebro, SWE
Ht: 6-foot-1 Wt: 187 pounds
Shoots: Right
Position: Defenseman
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2025 first-year eligible
Rankings
Karl Annborn is a reliable defenseman at both ends of the ice. Whether it’s breaking up plays, or creating chances for his teammates, he’s an effective 200-foot player. Overall, he’s a jack-of-all-trades type, however as a result, he doesn’t stand out in any one particular area.
Annborn’s biggest strength is his ability to break up plays defensively. He’s calm and composed at all times while defending, and doesn’t panic when pressure is being applied.
Offensively, his shot leaves much to be desired, and he needs to improve in multiple areas if he’s going to contribute at a high-end professional level. He has high upside, but it could take some time for him to reach it. Considering he’ll likely be a mid-round pick, he very well could be considered a major steal a decade down the line.
Other THW Draft Profiles
Quotables
“Karl Annborn is a poised and mobile two-way defenseman who offers a mature, well-rounded game. He combines excellent hockey sense, elite puck anticipation, and high-end passing accuracy, making him a reliable presence on both ends of the ice. While not particularly flashy, Annborn’s consistency, calm demeanor, and leadership qualities make him a valuable asset for any team.” – Neutral Zone
“Annborn is a solid two-way defenceman. He does so many good things that don’t always shine. To me, his timing and proactiveness when he breaks up plays impress me the most. He almost always breaks up the puck cleanly with full control of his stick.” – Jimmy Hamrin (from ‘February 8th, 2025 – Sweden U18 (all) vs. Finland U18 (all)’, Elite Prospects, 2/9/25)
Related: THW’s 2025 NHL Draft Guide
“Annborn is a two-way defenseman who plays an aggressive style to win back pucks for his team. In the offensive end, he shows decent mobility on the blue line, allowing him to create some space for himself to make a play. His shot is not very strong at this point, as he mostly throws shots that are easily blocked or lack the power to threaten from distance.” – Kyle Pereira (from ‘26935 – Sweden vs. Czechia’, FC Hockey, 4/29/25)
Strengths
- 200-foot player
- Experience with both special-teams units
- Cleanly breaking up plays and winning pucks for his team.
- Strong skater
Under Construction- Improvements to Make
- Shot utilization and power.
- Needs to add more muscle
- Needs to learn to utilize size to his advantage
- Needs to find a way to make himself stand out
Karl Annborn – NHL Draft Projection
Annborn is likely to be selected in the middle rounds of the draft, with the third or fourth round being most likely. As with any player, there is the possibility he drops further and is available in the late rounds as well. I’d project him to end up being taken off the board somewhere between picks 100 and 150.
NHL Potential
If Annborn’s development progresses perfectly, he could be the type of player who eventually turns into a second or third-pairing defenseman at the NHL level. He brings a solid two-way game, which every team will covet, but he lacks the high-end skill to be a true first-pairing player. It will likely take him quite a while to reach that ceiling though, so he’ll be a bit of a project for whichever team ends up selecting him.
Risk- Reward Analysis
Risk- 2.5 / 5, Reward 3 / 5
Fantasy Hockey Potential
Offense- 4/10, Defense 5/10
Videos/Interviews
YouTube: 2025 NHL Draft : Karl Annborn – 24-25 Highlights
Stats
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